What is communion in bible , bible studies

253. What is the meaning of the word? 

A common union. 

254. Of what feast is it the successor? 

Of the Jewish passover feast. 

255. When and by whom was it instituted? 

It was instituted by Christ at the last legal Jewish passover. 

256. What is the communion for? 

“This do in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24)” As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, 

 ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Corinthians 11:26). 

257. What do the cup and the bread represent? 

“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which 

we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:16)? 

258. Of what should the cup consist? 

Of the fruit of the vine (Mark 14:25). 

259. Fermented or unfermented? 

The Bible is not silent on this question. “Ye shall put away leaven out of your houses” (Exodus 12:15) 

“Neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.” (Exodus 13:7) “Thou shalt not offer the 

blood of my sacrifice with leaven” (Exodus 34:25) “Then understood they how that he bade them not 

beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” (Matthew 

16:12) “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, 

that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; 

but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:6-8) “A little leaven leaveneth the 

whole lump.” (Galatians 5:9) 

Leaven in the scriptures refers to both yeast and sin. Wine as it is commonly referred to today is 

fermented by yeast and contains alcohol. In Biblical times ‘wine’ was a generic term which could refer 

to both fermented and unfermented drinks. Jesus referred to it as “fruit of the vine” (Matthew 26:29; 

Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18). All leaven was removed as part of the passover feast this included fermented 

wine. 

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in 

all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15). Therefore fermented wine is an 

unfitting symbol of the blood of Christ. 

260. Which seems most appropriate? 

Inasmuch as the use of fermented liquids is one of the great curses to men, it seems to us most 

appropriate to use the unfermented wine. 

Is it probable that Christ took an intoxicating liquor, which in all the ages past had been the cause of 

misery and ruin, and which in all the ages to come would destroy myriads in temporal and eternal 

destruction; that he took the wine which his own inspired Word declared “wine is the poison of dragons, 

and the cruel venom of asps whose deadly bite is like a serpent, and whose fatal sting is like an adder” 

(Deuteronomy 32:33), and made that the symbol of his atonement, saying, “This is the New Testament272. Is it not selfish to exclude all members of other churches? 

It may seem so to those who see nothing but sociability in the communion; but they who recognize the 

communion as constituting “one body and one bread” have another view of it. Is it selfish to insist that 

applicants for baptism should give evidence of conversion, confess to a oneness in faith with us, and 

signify a willingness to be submissive to the rules and regulations of the Church? Was Philip selfish 

when he required the eunuch to “believe with all his heart” before he baptized him? or Christ, when He 

required self-denial as one of the conditions of discipleship? All restrictions look like selfishness to those 

who favor world-compromising basis. There is but one kind of church which can consistently advocate 

open communion, and that is the church which takes in everybody. regardless of what they believe or 

what they practice. 

273. But the communion is the Lord’s table — not a Mennonite table, or Methodist table, or Dunkard 

table, or the table of any other denomination. 

So much greater the necessity for keeping it in order. Why should we be more particular with our own 

denominational tables than with the Lord’s table? Why invite people to the Lord’s table when we would 

not tolerate them in the Church 

274. There are members in other denominations who say they are in harmony with us. 

Let them prove it by taking up church fellowship with us. 

275. Someone says, “I commune with the Lord, not with men.” Is that so? Then avoid the appearance of 

communing with men by participating in public communion. But why do you with one breath denounce 

the church for being “narrow,” and “selfish” for restricting the communion to it’s own members, and 

with the next breath declare yourself still more narrow and selfish by restricting the communion to 

yourself and God? 

276. What three scriptures set forth the correct attitude of communicants? (1) “Let a man examine 

himself, and so let him eat” (1 Corinthians 11:28). (2) “I would not that ye should have fellowship with 

devils” (1 Corinthians 10:20). (3) “For we being many are one bread and one body” (1 Corinthians 

10:18). 

277. What conclusion do we draw from these and other texts? 

That which is usually called “close communion” is the only kind which bears the Gospel test. 

278. Should the communion be accompanied by a full meal? 

“If any man hunger, let him eat at home” (1 Corinthians 11:34). 

279. Did not Christ and the apostles eat a full meal at the time the communion service was instituted?

That was the Jewish passover. 

280. Upon whose authority may this be called the Jewish passover? 

Upon the authority of Christ and the apostles (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-20). 

281. Does the Bible anywhere mention any teaching of Christ’s or the apostles’ that this meal they ate 

was something separate? 

It does not. 

282. Was this eaten in the time of the Jewish passover? 

Yes (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 4:12-25; Luke 22:7-20).

283. Why then does John say that the Jews refused to enter the judgment hall that they should not be 

defiled that they might eat the passover (John 13:28) ? 

The German version will help us to understand this scripture. The word passover is sometimes used as 

 the name for the seven days’ feast of unleavened bread (as in Luke 22:1) and sometimes designates the

 paschal lamb (as in Luke 22:7). Turning to the German rendering we find two words, “Ostern” is the 

name of the seven days’ feast of unleavened bread, while “Osterlamm” is the name given to the paschal 

lamb. Now turn to John 18:28, and see by this whether the passover which the Jews were still expecting 

to eat was the “Osterlamm” (paschal lamb) or the “Ostern” (seven days’ feast). The narrative, “auf dass 

sie nicht unrein wuerden, sondern Ostern essen moechten,” makes it clear that it was the remaining six 

days of the unleavened feast, not the eating of the paschal lamb that was yet in the future. With this light 

 thrown upon the language of John, we find him taking his place in harmony with Matthew, Mark and 

Luke, instead of contradicting their testimony, as some have supposed. 

284. What other evidence have we that only the bread and the cup are to be considered in the 

communion? 

Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 11:20-34) give us light on this subject. Aftercorrecting irregularities (vs.20-22) he tells them what he had “received of the Lord,” in which only the 

 bread and the cup were mentioned: In his further instructions he fails to mention anything else, but sets 

the full meal at rest by saying, “If any man hunger, let him eat at home.” 

285. How often should this ordinance be observed? 

There is no Bible command on this subject. “As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew 

 the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Corinthians 11:26). 

286. What time of day should it be observed? There is no Bible command on this subject. The Jewish 

passover was observed near the time in which the event which it commemorated occurred. According to 

the same logic, an appropriate time would be the time of day in which our Saviour suffered on the cross. 

287. For whose sake should the communion be observed? 

For ourselves (“This do in remembrance of me”), for others (“ye do shew”). 

288. Why observe the communion? 

(1) Our Saviour commands it. 

(2) It renews the memories of the great sacrifice made for our sakes, and our consequent privileges and 

duties. 

(3) It emphasizes the necessity of self-examination. 

(4) When observed in the right spirit, it impresses upon those who witness the observance of the ordinance 

the fact of Christ’s suffering and death. 

289. What of those who refrain from communing because it would mean their condemnation? 

The fact that they recognize that they are not right with God is in itself enough to condemn them the 

thing to do is to get right with God and commune to the glory of God and their own edification. 

290 Is there not danger that in communing we become partakers of other men’s sins? 

When the church has done its duty in the way of making preparations according to scripture each 

member communes on his own responsibility. 

291. What if the Church fails to do her duty, and makes no effort to exclude unworthy communicants? 

The whole Church, and each member thereof, becomes responsible for the sins of unworthy 

communicants. 

292. What conclusion therefore should I come to with reference to myself? 

When the church has made necessary preparations, let each one examine himself an